Hades' Lost Son

Arrival in Hell

Alex watched the night turn into solid black, which then shifted to a hazy green as the torches lighting the way to the underworld. Looking around at the faces of his companions, Alex recognized one expression, grim and rather scared.

"Hey, guys, we can do this," Alex smiled, trying to help them out.

"Watching Chance die, right before coming down here, it was..." Gwyn started to say, but lost his words.

"I get it," Alex rested a hand on Gwyn's knee, "That was hard, but if our minds linger on that, there's no way we can achieve what we came for."

"Alex is right," Aurora mumbled.

"It's harder to just move on then he's making it!" Blaise exclaimed.

"Guys, I'm right here." Chance said, staring at the living people on the boat, he was the only dead one.

"Yeah, and that isn't helping," Felix said.

"Look, I'm not mad at you, alright? In fact, thanks for killing me fast. It was better than the pain I was living in."

"That didn't help either," Gwyn muttered.

Chance shook his head, "That demon had begun controlling me soon after our fight with Emerson, and well..."

"That does explain a bit, but your ego was massive," Alex said.

"What does this have to do with helping?" Ava asked.

"This is a more of a 'I forgive you' speech," Chance smiled, "I really did love you, by the way."

Ava's hand covered her mouth, tears welled up in her eyes. Arete pulled her into a hug of comfort.

Kayne looked awkwardly at Chance, but kept his mouth shut. Blaise sat with his head in his hands, sometimes slightly shaking. Felix was comforting the boy, or trying to.

"Chance, thank you,"" Alex smiled at him as a tear fell slowly down his own cheek. tear went down his own cheek.

Chance smiled as the boat arrived on the black soil of the Underworld. He stepped off the boat quickly, disappearing into the hazy green darkness.

"C'mon guys, we can't hold Charon," Alex said, giving the ferryman a smile.

"Don't cause too many problems Alex, I don't need you not paying me back," Charon said, a slight amount of humor in his voice.

"I won't fail, Charon. I can't," Alex said, getting off the boat, then helping Aurora and the others off, although most of the men climbing off denied the help.

"How well do you know your way around here?" Kayne asked as he stopped off.

Alex made an odd face, "Not particularly well, it has been awhile."

"So we are blind?" Felix stared at Alex, hoping that wasn't true.

"Not all the way, I know the direction of Hades castle, we just need to go that way," Alex pointed, they had to follow the trail of the River Styx.

"Good luck, you'll need it," Charon muttered, pushing his boat off with his oar, going back the way they came.

"This will be great fun," Felix muttered, adjusting his pack on his shoulder.

"You and I definitely have different definitions of fun," Kayne retorted, starting to walk in the directions Alex had pointed.

"What are we gonna do if we run into demons?" Aurora asked, clinging tightly to Alex.

"We fight," Blaise answered, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

"I meant we as in those of us who conveniently don't have weapons," Aurora replied, in the same tone.